Decision made: La Liga grants special exception for Barcelona

This arrangement, however, is a temporary solution, as the reigning champions were unable to secure timely approval from the Barcelona City Council for their return to Spotify Camp Nou, which is undergoing prolonged renovations.

La Liga regulations typically prohibit clubs from hosting matches in stadiums with a capacity of less than 8,000 seats. The Johan Cruyff Stadium accommodates only 6,000 spectators, but the league has granted an exception, citing it as a force majeure.

The decision to use the Johan Cruyff Stadium brings an end to weeks of uncertainty during which the club had pushed for a return to Camp Nou with a reduced capacity of 27,000. This proved impossible, as a certificate for initial operation of the first phase could not be obtained, despite last-minute efforts to assess the stadium's technological readiness.

Another alternative, the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, was ruled out long ago due to concerns about the pitch's condition following a Post Malone concert on September 12th. Furthermore, potential delays in dismantling the stage could have hindered preparations for the match.

Over the past week, La Liga technical staff inspected the facilities at the Johan Cruyff Stadium and mandated several essential improvements to ensure the smooth running of the match.

These include the installation of VAR cameras in optimal positions and the activation of an optical system to transmit the signal.

Barcelona have been working diligently to meet these requirements, with workers seen at the stadium's stands even today, as reported by Sportal.

Similar to the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Como, the club has prepared a special VIP area in an effort to offset potential ticket revenue losses, given that the stadium's capacity is less than a quarter of the planned first phase of Spotify Camp Nou.

Following this match, Barcelona will travel to Newcastle on September 18th for a Champions League fixture, followed by another home game in the Spanish league against Getafe on September 21st.